Lost in the Shadows v2
by eldest123323
Summary: Rivien is a free spirit who feels trapped in the life she is currently living. Anxious to get away, she meets a man by chance in the Imperial City and decides to flee with him. Through a twist of fate, she finds herself a member of the Dark Brotherhood and marked by one of the most powerful gods known to man. Lucien/OC. Takes place 20 yrs before the events of Oblivion.
1. Chapter 1: Encounter

The Imperial City, capital of Cyrodiil and the economic center for the empire. The White Gold Tower dominates the city, a white beacon in an otherwise gray city. Today it was overcast, and the scent of rain was in the air, making the city even more depressing than I usually found it. Because of this, most people were in their homes or preparing for a slow day at the market in their stores. Most everyone except me of course. I hated being at home, and, rain or shine, I was determined to be outside.

To the normal person, being the daughter of a wealthy merchant would be heaven. Not to me. Arranged marriages, pointless parties, and constantly kissing the ass of any noble who chanced to get close to you was just not my thing. I was nineteen, rather pretty, and unwed. In my social circle I was practically an old maid.

"Good." I hissed under my breath. "I don't want to be married anyway." I had nearly married a year ago. My father had set me up with the royal treasurer, a toad of a Breton. After a lot of researching and an anonymous tip to the captain of the guard, he had been arrested for embezzling. A pity. Now my father was struggling to find me a match and I was trying to find a way out of this city. Sneaking out was my only option. My father refused to take me on any of his trips.

I was wandering around the market district when someone rammed into me, nearly knocking me to the ground. Annoyed, I caught my balance and turned to see who had interrupted my walk. It was an Imperial about my age. I couldn't make out any of his features because he was wearing a black robe with the hood pulled up. I did catch a flash of dark eye before he turned and hurried away without a word.

"Hey!" I ran after him. I may not like my social station, but I did expect to be respected for it. The man glanced over his shoulder and turned down an alley. When I caught up to where he had turned, he was gone. Confused, I walked to the end and looked around. It was a dead end. Unless he could climb the walls or walk through them, he hadn't come down here.

"Rivien you are being ridiculous. Chasing strange men into allies. He could have been a murderer." I turned to leave and was suddenly shoved hard against a wall.

"Hey there pretty lady. All alone, hmm?" I could smell alcohol on his breath. Struggling in his grip, I managed to turn all the way around and see his face. It was a Nord with dirty blonde hair, a scraggly beard, and bloodshot blue eyes. He was grinning at me and half of his teeth were black with rot. I had no idea where he'd come from. My only guess was that he followed me down the alley and I just hadn't heard him. Maybe he could walk through walls too.

"Let me go!" I yelled, twisting and trying to break his grip.

"None o' that pretty lady. We're goin' to have some fun before you leave." He crushed his mouth to mine. Trying not to gag, I bit down as hard as I could on his bottom lip. I tasted blood and he screamed. Furious, the Nord slammed a fist into my stomach. Doubled over with pain, I noticed the crude dagger that was on his belt. Muttering about ungrateful bitches, he started to fumble with his pants. Seizing my chance, I ripped the dagger free and plunged it into his chest.

He looked shocked for a moment, then the light left his eyes and he fell backwards into the filth of the alley. I stood there for a moment trying to process what had just happened. Mutely, I stepped over the body and started to run out of the alley. I crashed into someone before I made it to the street. I panicked.

"I found him like that I swear! I-" The man held a gloved finger to my lips. It was the robed man from earlier.

"You've blood on your hands love. Do you expect me to believe you?" He asked in a soft voice. I felt the blood drain from my face. This was it. I'd wanted out of the city, but not this way. I'd be hanged as a murderer. Looking at the hooded man I saw teeth flash as he smiled.

"You're worried I'm going to report you to the guard. Rest assured, I won't. However, that leaves you with two choices." He held up a finger. "Choice 1, you stay here. The guards will be passing soon and you've nowhere to hide. You'll be thrown in jail and likely hanged since you're a woman and hard labor is out of the question." He held up a second finger. "Or you can come with me and we can leave this city. Choose quickly, the guard will be here any moment."

"Why are you helping me?" I blurted out. He lifted a strand of my raven black hair.

"Because this city doesn't understand what a treasure it holds." He held out a hand. "Time's wasting." Confused by his cryptic remark, I took his hand without another word. We simply vanished.

AN: Hey everyone! I'm back after years and years of being on break. Some of you may recognize this story because it's a rewrite of one that I currently have published. The original is horrible in my opinion, and I am taking the time to go and rewrite both of the stories I have published and also work on the story that was supposed to tie those two together. I look forward to your reviews as always, and will see you soon with chapter 2.

xoxo, Eldest123323


	2. Chapter 2: The Purity of Rain

Chapter 2: The Purity of Rain

Illusion magic. That was how the strange Imperial had managed to make both of us vanish in the blink of an eye. He had to be highly skilled to extend the spell to me. About the time we disappeared, a guard walked by and into the alley. He saw the dead body, drew his sword, and sharply glanced around. I held my breath, just waiting for him to find us leaning against the wall. After affirming that nobody else was in the alley, that he could see at least, he crept forward. At that moment, I felt a tug on my hand, and I let myself be led out of the alley and onto the street. Heart pounding, I let him guide me through the nearly empty market and into a dark corner that was nearly hidden from the main road.

"Stay here. I'll be back in a moment." He whispered. When he let go of my hand, I reappeared and had to bite back a squeak of surprise. I'd never really been exposed to magic, and I wasn't enjoying it now. Now that I was alone and had a moment to think, I took the time to organize my thoughts.

The guards hadn't seen me; I was in the clear unless the weird Imperial reported me. But he'd offered me a way out of the city, and it was likely the only chance I was going to get. Some god must really likely because this chance had practically fallen into my lap.

But what if this man was not as friendly as he appeared? He knew I'd killed a man. He had something to hang over my head if he chose. Or maybe the drunk that I'd killed had deserved to die and the Imperial knew it.

"You're letting your thoughts run wild Rivien." I muttered to myself.

"What, having second thoughts?" A voice whispered at my ear. I screamed and slapped a hand over my mouth to cut it off. The sound of a laugh drifted though the shadows, and the robed man shimmered into view in front of me.

"Don't do that!" I hissed angrily. It was then that I noticed his hood was down. Even in the shadows of the corner I could see that his hair was a dark brown, much like his eyes, and it was wavy. It was pulled into a queue, but loose it would probably be down to his shoulders. Thin lips, a proud nose, and a strong jaw would look weird individually, but together they worked for him and made a rather handsome picture.

He held out a bundle to me. I took it and unfolded the robe. It was simple and black, much like his. There were gloves, a thin, dark shirt, dark pants, and leather boots as well.

"Pull those on. They will be more comfortable and much easier to travel in." He turned away and stood in front of me to block the view of anyone who happened to pass by too closely. I pulled off my heavy dress, wiping the blood that was drying on my hands onto the expensive fabric. Quickly, I pulled on the pants, shirt, and boots, happy with the fit and the material. I pulled the robe on, and lastly the gloves.

"Alright, I'm decent." I said quietly. He turned, a slight smile on his face.

"I'm glad to see that they fit. Now, pull up the hood and we can leave. Don't want anyone recognizing you before we get out of here." He went to pull his hood up.

"Wait!" I blurted out. He cocked one dark eyebrow. "I don't even know your name. How am I supposed to just leave the city with you without at least knowing that much?"

"It's Lucien. And yours?" I had a feeling that he already knew my name and was only asking to be polite.

"Rivien."

"A beautiful name. Shall we?" We both pulled up our hoods. I used some of my hair to frame the sides of my face just in case the hood slipped.

As we stepped out into the street, the rain that had been threatening the city began to fall. Slow at first, and then faster, the drops hit the cobblestones with a popping sound that quickly turned into a roar. We were soaked in seconds, but I didn't mind. I had always loved the rain, and since it was spring, the rain was warm, rather than cold. I stopped walking and tilted my head up towards it, letting it run down my face in rivulets. I was already drenched anyway, what did it hurt? I stood there for a few moments, just letting the warm droplets wash over me, wash away who I was before. I didn't know what was ahead of me, but I knew that soon I would be a new person. I was a free spirit trapped in a constricting world. Soon, my spirit would be able to fly as far as I allowed it with no penalty.

"Rivien, I can see that you love the rain, but we do have places to be." I opened my eyes and saw Lucien smiling slightly at me. Cheeks flushing, I hurried to catch up with him, feet making squelching sounds as they hit the ground. We made our way through the Market District, past absolutely miserable guards who were having to stand in the pouring rain, and into the Elven Gardens district. I had always loved this district of the city, with it's tall white buildings, large plaza, and the greenery. Even in the coldest months of the year, there were evergreen shrubs adding color to city. Right now the flowers were bursting with color and new life. Purples, reds, yellows, and many more colors were splashes in an otherwise drab city. I took a deep breath, cataloging each scent and committing it to memory. I didn't know when I would be coming back here.

"Are you sure you're not an elf? Everything you do and even the way you look, apart from the ears, make me think so." Lucien said, amusement lacing his tone. Frowning, I smacked his shoulder and huffed.

"No. I am not an elf. I'm an Imperial, same as you. I may have the pale skin, dark hair, and green eyes, but I'm not an elf." Not to say I hated them. As a girl I'd always wanted an elf prince to come and sweep me off my feet. I'd live in the trees or a might castle made of gold on the Summerset Isles. Sometimes I would act out my fantasies, much to the horror of my father. He demanded that Istop it at once, and had beat me for good measure. Elves were lesser beings to him, not even worthy of licking the dirt from his boots.

"Well, you're an elf in spirit." I rolled my eyes, choosing to stay silent the rest of the way through the district. Finally we made it to my home district, the Talos Plaza. There were few people on the streets, most choosing to stay indoors out of the rain. I did notice one brave soul wandering the streets and my heart sank. It was my father. He was a big man, broad in the shoulders and even broader in the waist, with a neck like a bull and a temper to match. His brown hair was plastered to his head, beady blue eyes flicking back and forth. It took me a moment to notice that he was very, very angry. I could tell by his movements.

"Lucien, can we get out of here quickly?" Lucien had already spotted the man and was sizing him up.

"You know him?"  
"That's my father. He only looks this angry when I've done something he doesn't approve of. I suspect he has spies watching me."

"Then he may know you're leaving. Come on. I don't feel like arguing with an idiot today. If he stops us, follow my lead." Too late, we realized he was storming over to us. He roughly grabbed my arm.

"I demand that you show me your face!" He spat. I shrank back, dreading the blow I knew was coming. If he thought I was a commoner, he wouldn't hesitate to smack me.

"I would thank you to unhand my wife sir." Lucien hissed at him. He sounded convincing, even to me.

"Do you know who I am?" My father roared. "I am the richest merchant in this city! I demand respect." I heard a quiet, exhasperated sight, and Lucien suddenly had a dagger in his hand. The hand on my arm tightened. I would have a bruise later.

"I said unhand her." With deadly calm, he pointed the dagger at his hand. "Do you want to keep that hand?" I was released. Playing the part, I stumbled into Lucien's arms, sobbing. I was shaking, but it was from anger, not that anyone else would know that. I knew people were at their windows watching us.

"I will report you to the guards for this!" Lucien pocketed his dagger.

"For what? You approached us, started yelling, and accosted my wife. If anyone is at fault, it's you. Good day sir." And Lucien turned, pulling me with him. I could hear my father fuming behind us, but he left us alone.

"This isn't the last I will have to deal with him. I'm surprised he didn't rip the hood off of my cloak to see who I was."

"Your father is an asshole. Sorry." He added quickly.

"Don't apologize for speaking the truth. He really is an asshole." Lucien sputtered, but didn't comment on my language. Women in my station usually didn't curse, not that I cared. The guards pushed open the main gates to the city and Lucien stepped outside. I took a deep breath as I stepped out behind him. I had only known city walls. I'd never even seen the waterfront before.

"Well Rivien, you're free." He said in a soft, quiet voice. The rain chose that moment to stop and my first look at the world outside the city was through a fine, hazy mist. I could just make out the bridge that led across the river. The stables to our right looked abandoned with all the horses in the stable and the mist swirling over the grass. It was gloomy and gray, but I loved it. The smell of the horses, of rain-soaked earth, it was everything I'd hoped for an more. We hadn't even technically left the city yet.

"This is wonderful." I breathed. "I never want to go behind city walls again!" Lucien through his hood back, and let out a whistle. I heard hooves on mud, and a beautiful gray stallion galloped out of the stables and jumped the fence. He stopped right in front of us, nuzzling Lucien's hand.

"Rivien, meet Thunder." I shrank away, having never been around horses. "Hold out your hand. Let him get to know you." Slowly, I lifted a hand. The horse examined it for a minute before gently bumping it with his nose. "That means he likes you. Go on, pet him." Gently, I rubbed his nose. He snorted and shook out his mane.

"I've never touched a horse before. I saw them in parades, but that's it."

"Well today we're going to be riding. He can carry both of us since you are so small. You can ride in front of me." Before I could protest, he'd lifted me up into the saddle. Awkwardly, I managed to keep from falling off by clutching the saddle horn and squeezing my legs tightly against Thunder.

"Don't just lift someone without warning." I grouched.

"You seem perfectly fine." He threw a leg over and settled in behind me. "Alright. Time to go." He nudged the horse, and down the hill we went, away from everything I'd ever known.

AN: Hello again everyone :) I hope you enjoyed the chapter. Thank you for the kind reviews. I'm glad to know that my writing has improved. I am actively working on chapter length. This one is about twice as long as the first one. Once I'm past the beginning of the story and I really get into the good parts, the chapters will hopefully be a lot longer than this. I have always been one to keep my writing short and to the point, so I'm working on that. Anyway, review and I will see you soon.

xoxo, Eldest123323


	3. Chapter 3: Brotherhood

Riding a horse was definitely not the worst thing I'd ever done, but it was close. Lucien was a masterful rider, anyone could see that, but the road was still uneven and my butt was painfully numb. Despite this, I was excited. Once we'd crossed over the bridge and moved away from the water, the fog started to lift, slowly at first so you could just make out the trees, and then suddenly it was gone, leaving a new world in its place. I gasped when I finally got my first real view of the world outside of the wall. It was absolutely stunning, with rain droplets sparkling on every surface and the smell of damp earth swirling around me. The colors were so vivid it made me never want to go back inside city walls again. Maybe Lucien was right and I was an elf in spirit. The thought made me smile.

"Glad to see you're enjoying the day. I can't believe you've never seen anything outside of the city."

"My father was a control freak. I never even visited the waterfront district. He was always so scared that I would be kidnapped and held for ransom." I let out a heavy sigh. "My childhood was miserably boring, but at least I never went hungry or froze during the winter. As a child I used to sneak food to the local orphans. At least I did until my father caught me. He was furious and began locking the cabinets."

"That man deserves a knife in his back." I heard Lucien mutter darkly.

"That may be true, but nobody has summoned the Dark Brotherhood or offed him themselves. Or maybe the Brotherhood just ignored the ritual. Most people believe them to be a myth anyway." Lucien took a deep breath.

"I can assure you that's not the case." He pulled Thunder to a stop, dismounted, and offered me a hand. Throwing a leg over, I took the hand and slid off. The jolt sent shock waves through my legs and I nearly collapsed. I forced myself to walk and work the feeling back into my legs and butt.

"So how do you know the Dark Brotherhood isn't a myth?"

"Because I am a member, Rivien." The blood drained out of my face.

"You're a...member? Then am I going to die? Is that why you brought me all the way out here?!" My voice rose steadily until I was yelling. "I won't go down without a fight!" Lucien looked me up and down.

"You have a lot of spirit. No I am not going to kill you. I was send to collect you and bring you to Cheydinhal with me."

"Collect me? What use am I to you? Are you going to hold me for ransom? Is that it?" He pinched the bridge of his nose and sighed.

"I wasn't told all of the details. They just instructed me to test you, and, if you passed, bring you along." I narrowed my eyes.

"So you led that drunk to me? I was nearly raped because of you!"

"But you weren't. I wouldn't have let him anyway. I may be an assassin, but even I have some morals." I snorted.

"Morals? Really?"

"Look, the man had a contract out on him anyway. He was going to die one way or the other. You just took care of it for me."

"So he really was a bad person." I mumbled to myself. "So...what now?"

"Now I am formally offering you a place in the Brotherhood Rivien. Being an assassin requires certain skills that the Listener has been told you possess."

"Listener?"

"He is our leader. The Night Mother tells him her wishes and he passes them along."

"I see. Why me though? I can't fight. I'm stealthy, but I can't use magic. I'm nothing special."

"Oh, but you are. It's been hundreds of years since the Night Mother sent us after a member before they committed a murder. He was the greatest assassin we've ever known." I couldn't wrap my head around everything Lucien was saying. He had offered me a home though. I had felt guilty about the drunk, but no more. If he had a contract on his head he must have been a bad person. Plus, with my father the way he was, I knew he'd never allow me back home, and if he did, I'd be beaten. Severely. I was truly on my own for the first time. Able to make my own decisions.

Lucien was standing by quietly, most likely fully aware that I was processing everything. Maybe this was my calling. I had always been stealthy, and I really wanted to learn how to use a dagger and a sword. I took a deep breath and looked up at him.

"Okay. I'll come with you to Cheydinhal." His face brightened.

"Great. I really didn't want to explain why you weren't with me."

"Is it really so important that I come with you? I really am just an ordinary person. I'll even admit that I'm soft. I have no training in anything."

"Not to worry. You aren't the first member we've had to train. Come on, we can ride a few more hours before we have to camp for the night." Mentally I groaned. My butt was sore from the few hours of riding we had already done. Lucien helped me mount, then hopped up behind me. With a slight nudge, he had Thunder moving down the road again.

"So..." I said after a few minutes of silence. "I can pick any weapon? Or do you only use certain ones?"

"Out of all the questions I'm sure are buzzing around your head, that's the one you ask?"

"Fine. I'll ask something else then." I huffed. He laughed a little.

"It's alright. I'll try to answer all of your questions. Is there a certain style of fighting that you want to learn?"

"Once as a girl I saw a man fight in the arena that actually had combat training. He used a one handed sword and his movements were so graceful. It was like watching a dancer. At the end, the other guy ran away so this man took out his dagger and threw it. It lodged in the other man's throat, and he won."

"I see."

"It was one of the few times I went to the arena. Nothing else has ever compared to that man's fighting. I'd love to learn if there is anyone willing to teach me." In my honest opinion I'd always been a bit of a klutz. As I'd gotten older I'd developed the poise befitting someone of my station, but I still tripped over my own feet sometimes.

"We have plenty of swordsman at the sanctuary. I'm sure one will help you out."

"Umm...one more thing."

"Yes?"

"Are you going to be there? At the sanctuary? I know we just met, but I'd like to know at least one person." Lucien chuckled. I felt it rumble in his chest.

"I was recently promoted so no, I do not live in the sanctuary. I do live close by though. If you need me I can be there soon."

"Oh. So what should I expect? Is the work hard? Are the other members terrifying?"

"Well, we are assassins so of course we're scary to normal people, but nobody is going to slit your throat in your sleep. The brotherhood is a family. Most of us either have no living relatives, or ran away from their families for various reasons. No one has a happy past, but it doesn't affect us."

"Why are you in the brotherhood?"  
"That's a story for another day." Also known as it's none of my business. "The work can get tedious depending on the contract. Usually there's a bones if you complete one a special way."

"So you can't just do things the way you want to?"

"Oh, some you can. Those are the most fun." I glanced back. His smile was positively feral. I let the questions drop for now. He was scary. Everyone was good as something I guess. Some were good at writing or music. Others knew numerous ways of killing a man.

We rode for the next hour or so in silence. I was admiring the trees and flowers along the road. Everything was so bright and colorful. So far my favorite had been a single orange lily that had sprouted along the roadside. The only lilies we had in the Imperial City were pink and those weren't nearly as beautiful as this one. Lucien noticed my staring and had maneuvered Thunder to the flower. In one smooth motion, he bent down, picked it, and held it out to me.

"This one is an early bloomer. If you travel this road in the summer, there are clusters of them everywhere." I took it and inhaled the scent. It wasn't particularly strong or sweet, but the smell was comforting.

"Thank you. I'll have to come back in a few months to see them in full bloom." I shifted a bit in the saddle. My butt was starting to ache through the numbness. I told Lucien as much.

"We'll camp just up the road. You sit so well that I forgot you've never ridden a horse."

"Thank you. I think." True to his word, about ten minutes of agony later, we stopped in a small clearing just off the road. After he dismounted, Lucien helped me down and then got to work setting up camp. I paced around trying to work some feeling into my legs and butt as I watched. I knew I'd be in the way if I tried to help. He had loosely tied Thunder to a tree so he could graze and was at work making a fire with wood from the clearing. The rain from earlier hadn't made it this far east so everything was dry. As he was stacking the wood for the fire, I walked around the clearing. I wasn't paying much attention, so I didn't see the large rock until my foot connected with it. Through the thin leather of my boot, it felt like I'd broken my big toe.

"Fuck!" I yelled as I hopped up and down on my good foot. I saw Lucien's eyes go wide as he tried not to laugh.

"Rivien are you alright?" I glared at him.

"Do I _look_ alright? I think I just broke my damn toe!" I sat down and gently peeled off the shoe. Lucien started laughing. He had tears streaming down his cheeks. "I'm glad you think this is funny."I grumbled. Still chuckling, he walked over and squatted in front of me.

"Your reaction is what's funny. I was worried we'd recruited a girly noble, but with a mouth like that, looks like you'll fit in fine. Give me your foot." He picked it up and looked at it. "You didn't break anything, which is good. I can only heal minor cuts and bruises." Light flared in his hand and a soothing warmth spread through my foot. After a few seconds the pain was gone, and I wiggled my toes.

"Thanks Lucien. It appears I owe you a favor." He waved a hand dismissively.

"You don't owe me anything. All I did was heal you foot. I need the practice anyway. Plus, sometimes there are missions that require two people. Everyone needs one person he or she can trust with their lives." His eyes bore into mine. In the twilight shadows, they looked like dark, liquid pools. I looked away uncomfortably. I'd only met him this morning. Why did we have this connection? Was there a purpose or were the gods toying with us? I didn't like it. Without a word, Lucien released my foot and stood.

"I'll get dinner started. You don't mind stew do you?" I shook my head.

"I'm not a picky eater."

"Good" He lit the fire with magic and took out a metal rod with a hook on the end from his packs. He stuck that in the ground and then grabbed a black iron pot from a different pack. After hooking the pot to the rod, he took off the lid, threw in some vegetables and water and let it simmer over the flames.

"Is there anything magic can't do?" I muttered to myself. He heard me.

"There's plenty of things you can't do with magic. Don't tell me you know nothing of the arcan arts?" I walked over to the fire and sat.

"I used to want to study magic, but my father wouldn't let me."

"Of course he wouldn't. He was probably scared of it." I really didn't know why my father didn't want me around magic. He'd never said. "Was there a particular school you were interested in?"

"Well yes, but I'm too old to really learn any of it." I was uncomfortable around magic, but I used to watch mages show off near the arena.

"I doubt that." I sighed.

"I love watching Destruction magic. Specifically lighting spells. They're so pretty."

"Really?"

"Mhm. It's so powerful. Watching it is like watching a god control the weather." He chuckled.

"Yeah. I guess it is. I only know a basic fire spell, but I have books that may be able to help you. Most of the brotherhood practice Illusion and Alteration magic. It gets us out of tight spots sometimes."

"I can see that helping. Plus, magic creates light, especially destruction. I may just stick with a sword." He shook his head.

"If you want to learn something, then learn it. Don't let other people or the way everyone else does things hold you back." I smiled slightly. It was easy to say those things, but harder to practice that belief. I wasn't stupid by any means, but my father had only wanted me to learn what he approved of.

Lucien picked up a wooden ladle and stirred the stew. It smelled heavenly. I hadn't eaten since breakfast and I was starving. I laid back and looked up at the clouds. The sun was setting so they were varying shades of pink, orange, and purple. It was so peaceful laying on the grass watching the clouds drift by and listening to the birds in the trees.

"So Lucien, how long will it take us to get to Cheydinhal?"

"If all goes well, we'll be there tomorrow. It's only a few hours away."

"That close huh?" I was only six or seven hours away from one of the biggest cities in Cyrodil and I'd never known. I needed a map to study.

"Oh, I have something for you." He rummaged around in his pack for a moment and produced a cloth wrapped bundle. I sat up and he handed it to me. "It's tradition for the speaker of the sanctuary to give new members a gift." I smiled and unwound the cloth. Buried in the folds was a beautiful ebony dagger. The hilt and sheath were decorated with beautiful gold filigree, and when I pulled out the blade, it had the same gold patterns. I could tell just by looking that the blade was wickedly sharp.

"Lucien, it's beautiful." I spun the dagger, watching the reflections of the flames on the blade.

"Use it well. You can name it if you wish." Name it? I thought long and hard. I toyed with Shadowfury for a few moments before deciding on a different name.

"Woe. The blade of Woe." Lucien blinked.

"Seriously?" I started to giggle.

"I wanted a name fit for an assassin. I thought it fit, and it's funny as well." He smiled.

"I guess it is. So, the Blade of Woe." He pulled out two bowls and ladled some soup into them. He handed me one.

"Here. You need to eat. You may want to put away the dagger for a bit. There will be plenty of time to look at it later." I stuck my tongue out at him, but sheathed the dagger and put it down. I took a bite and scalded my tongue. Lucien just raised an eyebrow as he blew on his spoonful to cool it. I ate more slowly, blowing on the spoonfuls to avoid burning myself again. It was bland, but filling. With the right spices it would've been fantastic.

"Alright, I am going to bed. You should do the same. I want to be in Cheydinhal before noon tomorrow." He had finished his soup and rinsed the bowl with some water he had in a skin. I handed him mine and he cleaned it as well. Then he tossed a bedroll at my head. I managed to catch it before it hit me in the head.

"Hey!"

"What? You need something to sleep on. Unless you prefer the grass and dirt." Grumbling, I spread it out on the ground, took off my robe, and crawled in. The night was chilly, but the bedroll was warm and I didn't feel the cold. Within minutes, both of us were sound asleep.

Hey everyone! I am so sorry this took so long! I have had a lot of stuff going on lately. I'm rarely home, and when I am, I have stuff to do here. By the time all of that is done, I'm so tired I just go to bed. Anyway, I hope you like it. Leave me a review or shoot me a private message telling me what you think. Personally, I'm not 100% satisfied with this chapter, but I didn't want to keep you guys waiting too much longer.

xoxo Eldest123323


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